ButchA

{Imagine this scenario if you will...}

You are ground hunting in a natural blind (inside huge fallen oak tree). You are upwind on a sidehill overlooking a small stream. After getting everything setup and in place, you hit the rattle bag a few times. Maybe 20 minutes, 1/2 hour later, you gently blow a doe bleat. So far so good. It' s a nice early morning, temps in the upper 40' s.

Within 15 minutes of blowing a doe bleat, you spot a big doe gently walking along the stream bed towards you. She' s about 125-150 yards out. It' s now a game of patience...

These are your choices of weapons:

* An old PSE compound bow with 125gr Thunderheads.
* A Remington 870 12GA with #00 Buck and a full choke.
* A borrowed Marlin lever-action 30-30 w/ nice Simmon' s scope (your buddy' s gun).

You are hunkered down inside the big fallen oak tree. There' s countless shooting zones to use. You are probably 30 yards up above the streambed on the side of the hill/trail looking downwards at the stream. The doe is walking along the stream looking for the other " doe" she heard make the bleat, or wondering where the bucks are that were rattling their antlers.

Whick is the best choice to use in this scenario? Take a shot with the borrowed 30-30, or use the trusty 870 with #00 Buck. The distance for the bow is a bit too much, but should you wait it out and wait for her to get into range?

What would you do in this scenario?

Why am I asking? Because this is my secret little spot that I found in a state forest here in Virginia. The " doe" I am talking about is another doe that I shot at (and missed [:' (] ) in the local WMA, with my co-worker' s Marlin 30-30.

Butch

Gryan

O--K Here goes.

No matter what I had in my hand, I' d let the doe come as close as possible.

I would not use a gun that I hadn' t ever shot before and knew how it fired so the
30-30 is out.

I' d let her walk right up to me with the 870 or with the bow. I' d rather the 870 in case she turned and went in another direction. If she was indeed coming to the call, I' d use it if she looked like she was going to leave. Otherwise, I' d stay put, 870 in hand and let her come.

Greg

Tazman

Butch if you have practiced with the 30-30 and know it shoots well and you just wanted meat I would say go with it, if you have not practiced with the 30-30 and just want meat go with the 12 gauge, however if you want the ultimate thrill in deer hunting go with the bow.

All that being said, I totaly agree with Gryan, no matter what weapon you choose the closer the better, all the mentioned weapons will more than do the job within the weapons and the shooters limitations.

Striper Phil

Well since you can' t shoot straight with the 30 30 better go with the scatter gun at 30 yards.

NY Bowhunter

Give me the bow anyday and hope she comes close enough. If not..........she wins that round.

ButchA

I know... I know... [:' (]

I shot only one time before with my buddy' s Marlin 30-30, at that doe in Powhatan WMA here in VA. I never shot a lever action 30-30 before and I know... it was foolish to try shooting an untested gun. And, while I did get a round off at the doe in the WMA, I ended up shooting high over her back. The part that really bothered me and made my heart sink, was immediately after I fired, the doe took off running up over the ridge and came down the other side to an ambush of about 18 other public hunters, because their guns going off sounded like a warzone. [][:' (] My buddy at work (owner of the Marlin 30-30), asked me, " why didn' t you go after her?" I told him I went to the point where I shot at her, and saw her tracks tearing off up over the ridgetop. I looked at him point blank and said, " there was no way in h*ll, I was going up over that ridge with all those other hunters out there! Blaze orange or not... NO WAY! [] "

Anyway, I like Cumberland State Forest here in VA. It' s big, it' s out-of-the-way, and there' s tons of places to go and find your special secret little spot. On a public WMA, everybody who' s anybody, has been there too and all the game is constantly spooked 24/7.

Butch

buckeye

I' d use the PSE and let them thunderheads work their magic But what ever you choose I wish you all the luck.

wimp

How are we supposed to close our eyes to imagine and yet still read? [&:]

Jimmy S

I don' t see the concern with shooting an untested gun. If that 30/30 is sighted in properly, I would not hesitate to use it. I have shot a few deer in Maine with a borrowed rifle (300win mag and .358) both of wich I never fired before. I placed the crosshairs on the deer and after the shot, there was no need to look for either deer. I also have the attitude that close is good but I do not jeapardize a " good shot" by waiting for the deer to get closer...assuming she is within range. Whatever decision you finally decide to make, good luck with it.

ButchA

Thanks.... I can borrow this Marlin 30-30 anytime I want. In fact, I might be able to borrow it for the rest of the season. That co-worker buddy of mine doesn' t hunt anymore. He gave it up about 5 years ago and the Marlin 30-30 just sits in his closet in its gun case. Hmmmm.... I wonder if he' d be willing to sell it?

Butch